Armenian students protest against bill on military service (photos, update)

11:00 • 09.11.17

17.30

After about two hours of discussions, the students left the Government building to announce that they finished the talks with Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan.

David Petrosyan, a member of the civic group For Developing Science, said that despite an earlier promise not to invite government representatives, Minister of Defense Vigen Sargsyan and Minister of Education and Science Levon Mkrtchyan attended the meeting.

The students announced their resolute decision to continue the strike also on Friday.

15.37

After negotiations at the protest site, a delegation of five students eventually agreed to a meeting with Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan.

15:13

Aram Vardevanyan, a senior aide to Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan, approached the protesting students to let them know that the premier was ready to host as many as five people but warned against the presence of the media.

After taking 15 minutes' time to consider the issue internally, the students expressed their disagreement to the proposal.

Vardevanyan ruled out a meeting in any other format.

14:14

The students are now outside the Government building, demanding a meeting with Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan.

11:00

Students from the Yerevan State University (YSU) are rallying for the third day to protest against a government-initiated bill proposing measures to abolish temporary exemption from compulsory military service.

The civic group For Developing Science has joined the boycott, promising to stand by all the faculty members and deans backing students’ demand.

“We, as students, will be standing by them, treating any encroachment as an encroachment upon our initiative,” David Petrosyan, a member of the group, said, addressing the crowd gathered outside the YSU main building.

The students are determined to continue the campaign until the authorities revise legislative measure to allow deferment for students studying for bachelor’s, master’s or post-graduate degrees.

The controversial bill passed the parliament’s first reading in October.

The students are reportedly planning to conduct also a procession to the Government which will be hosting the cabinet meeting later on Thursday.

On Wednesday, a delegation of students met with Minister of Education and Science Levon Mkrthcyan to raise their complaints and concerns. The minister rejected the demand for reconsidering the proposed legislation. He also urged the young activists to end the strike which he considered absolutely pointless.